A review by maiahhtratchh
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

challenging reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

There are aspects of this book I liked but I didn’t think they were fully realized. I did not feel like the characters were flushed out in their entirety and they seemed to all exist in a 2-dimensional vacuum. There was no sense of who they were before to compare to who they were in this situation which made it fall flat for me. As much as I like the ending pre-Epilogue (there truly was no other way to end it and I feel like if it got a happily ever after it would defeat the purpose of what it meant to be human and share this experience) I HATED the epilogue… that came out of left field and it was just so upsetting and out of character? It felt shock for the sake of shock. There was no time depth too between the end and epilogue making it seem like it was quite recent which further confused and upset me because of how absurd it was. As much as I like the premise it just wasn’t there. 
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